The archive contains some 250 boxes filled with items documenting her literary career. Included are manuscripts for her major works, personal diaries, travel journals, correspondence, photographs, videos, awards, publicity material, personal effects, interviews and speeches, original drawings by Cisneros and the Canon portable typewriter she used to create many of her works.

Original artwork used for the first edition of “The House on Mango Street” is part of the archive, as well.

In 1984, University of Houston-based Arte Público Press, the the oldest and largest publisher of U.S. Hispanic literature in the country,published “The House of Mango Street, Cisneros’ debut novel about a young Chicana who moves with her parents to a Hispanic neighborhood in Chicago. Arte Público cross-marketed the book to adult and young adult audiences, which is how it found its way into high schools. It wasn’t an instant hit but over the years the book has grown deep roots. Both Stanford and Harvard Universities included “The House on Mango Street” in their classes in the 1980s, which saw the beginning of the multicultural movement.

Today, “The House on Mango Street” is a contemporary classic and has sold more than 6 million copies.

Cisneros lived for many years in San Antonio in a purple house (later, pink) on Guenther Street. Papers related to the house are part of the archive, as well.

“It’s important to me that my archives have found a home where I’ve felt at home and respected in my lifetime,” said Cisneros, in a statement released by TSU. “The Wittliff Collection reflects an admiration and appreciation for Texas’ Mexican and Tejano legacy. Their support of Tejano writing projects and Tejano writers firmed my final decision.

“One more consideration: I think it imperative scholars studying my work travel to the world I knew and called home to better understand my work. I’m grateful and thrilled to have my archives at home finally at the Wittliff,” she said.

Other major holdings at the Wittliff include literary papers of Cormac McCarthy, Larry McMurtry and Sam Shepard. The Wittliff also has one of the largest collections of Mexican documentary and fine art photography in the United States.